Easy-opening ring and scored clinch cap



ug- 16, 1966 H. E. FRANKENBERG 3,266,659

EASY-'OPENING RING AND SCORED CLINCH CAP Filed Nov. 1, 1963 INVENTOR MEN ps( E. FRnuKEuBERC-z ATTORNEYS mlm United States Patent O 3,266,659 EASY-OPENING RING AND SCRED CLINCI-I CAP Henry 1E. Frankenberg, Berwyn, Ill., assignor to Continental yCan Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 320,768 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-54) This invention relates to an easy-opening closure assembly for containers, and more particularly to a non-reclosable closure for beverage-type cans or bottles, which closure can be removed without the use of special tools.

It is conventional modem-day commercial practice to provide containers, such as beverage-type glass bottles or metal cans, with a crown cap for closing the container. The conventional crown cap is generally crimped beneath a locking ring on the container so that the crown cap cannot be removed except with an opener or other special tool.

It is an object of this invention to provide a non-reclosable closure for beverage-type cans or bottles, which closure can be removed from the container without the use of special tools.

Another object of this invention is to provide a composite closure comprising a clinch-type crown cap and a protective seal ring or overcap. The crown cap has an upstanding central hump and is scored centrally across, and the overcap includes a pull tab and a tear strip. When the pull tab and tear strip are torn out of the overcap, the overcap is readily removable from the crown cap, and thereafter by depressing the hump of the crown cap, the score line therein can be broken and the crown cap divided for easy removal from a container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a composite closure for a container, the closure comprising a crown cap and an overcap, the crown cap having a hump therein and a score line along a diameter thereof, lthe overcap including a pull tab and a tear strip, the overcap being normally disposed over the crown cap and being manually removable therefrom, whereby a pressure may be exerted upon the hump to break the crown cap along the score line therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide a composi-te closure, of the type described above, wherein the crown cap includes a top end portion and a depending skirt, the skirt being provided with a corrugated edge structure for crimping the crown cap to a container.

Another object of this invention is to provide a composite closure, of the type described above, which is further characterized in that the overcap comprises an annular top piece having an opening therein, and a peripheral flange depending from the annular top piece, the tear strip in the overcap being defined by a pair of spaced score lines which extend along the annular top piece and the peripheral flange.

Another object of this invention is to provide a closure assembly having a crown cap and an overcap, of the type described above, wherein the crown cap is nes-ted within the overcap, the hump on the crown cap extending partially through the opening in the overcap and engaging the pull tab thereof so as to position the pull tab above the plane of the annular top piece such that the pull tab may be readily grasped by a person desiring to open the container.

A further object of this invention is to provide a closure assembly comprising a crown cap and an overcap wherein a liner is disposed within the crown cap for providing a hermetic seal with the lip of a container, a depending skirt on the crown cap and a peripheral flange on the overcap, the depending skirt and the peripheral flange 3,266,659 Patented August I6, 1966 ICC being adapted to be crimped about a locking ring on the container.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by the reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective View and illustrates the novel closure assembly, of the present invention, as it appears when assembled to a conventional beveragetype container.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view, taken on line 2 2 of FIGURE l, showing the relationship of the various parts of the novel closure and, in addition, illustrates in dotted lines the manner in which the pull tab is initially raised during removal of the overcap from the crown cap.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, similar to FIGURE 1, illustrating the crown cap and container after the overcap has been removed therefrom and, in addition, shows a linger or thumb in position on the hump of lthe crown cap for applying a downward compressive force there-to.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view, taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, illustrating the crown cap after it has been fractured along the score lines therein and, in addition, shows the manner in which the crown cap is removed from the container.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the protective seal ring or overcap.

Referring to the drawing in detail, there is illustrated a novel closure assembly, generally indicated by the numeral 10, which closure assembly 10 is shown as being attached to a well-known type of container, generally indicated by the numeral 11. The container 11 is shown as having a -tapered neck 12 terminating in a curled lip 13 which provides a locking ring or shoulder 14.

The composite closure 10 includes a clinch-type crown cap, generally indicated by the numeral 15, which is shown in FIGURES l and 2 as being nested within a protective seal ring or overcap, generally indicated by the numeral 16.

The crown cap 15 is preferably stamped from thin metal stock and is shaped to include a top end portion 20 and a depending skirt 21. The skirt 21 is conventionally provided with a corrugated edge structure 22 which may be crimped in a well-known manner beneath the locking ring 14 on the container 11. The top end portion 20, of the crown cap 15, has an upstanding hump 23 formed centrally therein, for a purpose to be later described. A deep score line 24 is provided in the crown cap 15 and, preferably, extends completely across the dome 23, the top end portion 20, the depending skirt 21 and the cor-rugated edge structure 22 along a diameter of the crown cap 15. It is also desirable that the crown cap 15 be provided with a conventional liner 26, which liner 26 is preferably composed of a plastisol material but, if so desired, may also be a conventional cork-type liner.

The crown ca-p 15 is, by itself, capable of providing a satisfactory closure Ifor the container 11. However, -because of the deep score line 24 which is formed in the crown cap 1'5, it is desirable to provide the protective seal ring or overcap 16 so that the crown cap 15 is not inadve-rtently fractured along the score line 24.

The overcap 16 is illustrated in FIGURES l, 2 and 5 and is `adapted to receive and snugly engage the crown cap along the top end portion 20, the depending skirt 211 and the corrugated edge structure 22, thereof. The overcap 16 is shown as including an annular top piece 30, having an opening 3i1 therein, and a peripheral flange 32 depending from the annular top piece 30. The overcap 16 also includes a pull tab 33 and a tear strip 34 which is defined by a pair of spaced score lines 35 and 36 that are formed in the annular top .piece 3) and in the peripheral flange 32.

As is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the crown cap 15 is nested within the overcap 16 such that the hump 23 is received within the opening 31 and is disposed in engagement with the pull tab 33 to position the pull tab 33 above the plane of the annular top piece 30 whereby the pull tab 33 is readily accessible to be grasped by a person desiring to open the container 11. In order to open the `closure assembly 10, the pull tab 33 is initially pulled upwardly and outwardly, as is illustrated yby the dotted line position shown -in yFIGURE 2, and the pull tab 33 -is then pulled outwardly and downwardly so as to sever the overcap 16 along the score lines 35 and 36 to remove the tear st-rip 34 from the overcap 16. After the tear strip 34 has been removed, the overcap 16 may be easily peeled away from the crown cap 15.

After the overcap 16 has been removed from the crown cap 115, the crown cap 15 is readily removed from the container 11 by first applying .pressure on the dome 23 with a linger, as is illustrated in FIGURE 3, to cause the overcap 15 to be fractured along the deep score line `24 and be deformed to the configuration which is illustrated in FIGURE 4. The deformation of the crown cap 15 causes the corrugated edge structure 22 to swing outwardly from beneath the locking ring or shoulder 14, thus destroying the hermetic seal which is provided by the container lip 13 and the liner 26. The crown cap 15 may then be easily divided along the score line 24 by applying thumb pressure, as is illustrated in yFIGURE 4, upwardly on the corrugated edge structure 22.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that there has `been provided an easy-opening closure assembly for bottles or cans, which closure assembly may be removed `from a container without the use of special tools or other equipment.

While preferred yforms and arrangement of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is -to be clearly understood that various changes in detail and arrangement of parts may `be made without departing from the spirit andy scope of the invention as defined in the appended claimed subject matter.

I claim:

A composite closure for a container, said closure comprising a crown cap and an overcap, a liner disposed within said crown cap for providing a seal w-ith the lip of a container, said crown cap including a top end .portion and a depending skirt, said skirt being provided with a corrugated edge structure for crimping said crown cap to a container, said crown cap having a hump therein and a score line extending across the crown cap, said overcap comprising an annular top piece having an opening therein, and a peripheral flange depending from said annular top piece, said overcap including a pull tab and a tear strip, said tear strip being defined by a pair of spaced score lines in said annular top piece and said ange, said hump extending partially through said opening and engaging said pull tab so as to position said pull tab above the plane of said annular top piece, said overcap being normally disposed over said crown cap and being manually removable therefrom, whereby a `pressure may be exerted upon said hump to break said crown cap along said score line.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,312,581 8/1919 Schmitt 2l5-46 1,605,708 1l/1926i Clark 21S-46 2,099,056 11/1937 Ferngren.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,117,931 3/19561 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner. 

